Adjusting device for sorting machines



e. BONS. ADIUSTINGADEVICE FOB SORTING MACHINES.-

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7| |916.

Patented Dec. 23, 1919.

2f ff GUSTAF BONG, OF YSTAD, SWEDEN.

ADJUSTING DEVICE FOR SORTINGr-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 23, 1919.

Application led March 7, 1916. Serial No. 82,686.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAF BoNG, a citizen of the Kingdom of Sweden, and resident of Ystad, Sweden, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Adjusting Devices for Sorting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates t0 a device for adjusting the sorting grates of such sorting machines iii which the sorting is carried out by means of a number of diverging grate members, and has for its object to make possible an adjusting of the grate members as to give these a dierent slope at the same time as the openings at theirlower edges become wider or smaller. Thus by means of this invention it is possible in the same machine to sort goods of larger difference in size or goods of different kinds. With the saine advantage the invention is applicable as well for sorting machines provided with conveying wires at the lower part of the grate members as for sorting machines without such wires.

The invention is shown. in the accompanying drawing. Figure 1 shows the grate member belonging to a sorting machine provided with conveying wires in cross section. Fig. 2 shows a side view of a grate member.

According to my invention the grate consists of a number of plates 1 made to turn around spindles 2 forming hinges and placed in such a way that the intervals between tlie grate members are limited by one plate hinged on the one spindle and another plate hinged on an adjacent spindle, etc. Thus in Fig. 1 the two plates inclining toward the center are together forming one sorting groove and each of the two other plates forms one half of two other grooves. In the drawing also the conveying wires 3 are shown, and Jfor the purpose of guiding the same the plates 1 are bent upward at their lower edges so that they forni grooves 4. Under the grate a number of axles are placed in suitable distances from each other, of which only one is shown in the drawing, these axles being at their ends provided with means, by which they may be turned around, as for instance a square nut 6 (Fig. 2) adapted for screw-wrenches or handwheels. Upon the axle 5 for each of the spindles 2 is placed a rightand lefthanded screw 7 8 provided with nuts 9 and 10, these nuts being combined with arms 11, the upper ends of which are bent horizontally and put into bearings 12 fastened to the under sides of the plates. The plates 1 forming the grate are thus hinged to the nuts 9 and 10 carried by the axle 5 and by turning this axle in one direction the nuts are brought nearer to each other, as shown in Fig. 1 with dot and dash lines, and then the opening between the grate members becomes wider. On the contrary, if the axle is turned in the opposite direction the nuts are removed from each other and the opening becomes smaller.

In order to simplify the practical shape of the rightand lefthanded screw eecting the movements o1l the plates the axle 5 is given an even surface and provided with threaded tubes the number of which corresponds to the number' of the grate members. Of these tubes one righthanded and one lefthanded belongs to each of the spindles 2. The joints between the tubes `are placed right under the spindles 2 and also midway between them, and iii every joint or everj7 other joint a pin 13 is put through the axle this pin thus fixing the tubes to the axle in suoli a way that they will take part in the rotation of the latter. By rotating the axle the spindles 2 are also raised or lowered a little.

What I claim is 1. In a sorting grate of the kind described the combination of a plurality of plates arranged in pairs, the plates of each pair being hinged together, a plurality of nuts each hinged to one of said plates so that a pair of said nuts is associated with each pair of said plates, one nut of each pair being provided with a righthanded thread and the other nut ot each pair being provided with a left handed thread, and a single screw engaging all of said nuts and having a plurality of portions threaded right-handed and a plurality of other portions threaded left handed, in order to make the threads carried by said nuts.

2. In a sorting grate of the character described the combination of a plurality of plates arranged in pairs, the plates of each pair being hinged together and bent upwardly at their outer edges, conveyin wires secured to said outer edges of the p ates, a. plurality of nuts, each hinged to one of said plates so that a pair of said nuts is assoeiated with each pair of said plates, one nut of each pair being provided with a righthanded thread and the other nut of each pair being provided with a left-handed thread, and a single screw engaging all of said nuts and provided with a plurality of portions threaded right-handed and With a plurality of other portions threaded lefthanded, in order to mate the threads carried by said nuts.

3. In a sorting grate of the character described the combination of a plurality of plates arranged in pairs, the plates of each pair being,` hinged together, a plurality of nuts each hinged to oneof said plates, so

that a pair of said nuts is associated with a pair of said plates, one nut of each pair having a right-handed thread and the other nut of each pair having a left-handed thread, and a single screw common to all of said nuts, said screw combining` an aXle and a plurality of tubular screw members fitted upon said axle, some of said tubular screw members being provided with right-handed threads and others being provided With left handed threads.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

GUSTAF BONG. 

